MELANIE VAN ZYL
  • Howzit
  • Photography
    • Lodges
    • Wildlife
    • South Africa
    • Botswana
    • Namibia
    • Uganda
    • Mozambique
    • Mauritius
    • Thailand
    • Sri Lanka
  • Adventures
  • Published
  • Contact

Wildlife snaps: leopards and lions of the Timbavati

21/4/2016

2 Comments

 
Looking for big cats in the beautiful Lowveld. 
Picture
We flew into the Hoedspruit airport on a small plane. Below us the land was orange and dry, speckled with trees but significantly absent of summer grass. The airport is a tiny brick building, not really an airpot at all. The lack of boarding gates, luggage carousels and burly officials make it more of a welcome party, which is the best way to start a holiday (even if it's just for the weekend). An hour away we stepped into our lodging for a quick lunch and then excitedly climbed into the Landie for a weekend of incredible leopard and lion sightings, among other incredible blessings of the bushveld. 
The Timbavati lies west of the Kruger National Park, roughly north of Orpen gate covering an enormous area of 54 000 hectares. There is no fence between these parks and animals roam freely across the invisible divide. The reserve is famous because white lions were first seen here in the 1970s and although we weren't lucky enough to catch a glimpse of these snowy-looking felines there was plenty to keep our eyes peeled for. Here are a few of my favourite wildlife snaps from the top of the safari truck. 
Picture
These frisky lion cubs were all canoodling each other in the early morning light, then one looked straight into the camera
Picture
The iconic and colourful Lilac-breasted Roller
Picture
We had the pleasure of watching this leopard stalking a lion cub's kill
Picture
There were plenty of giraffe
Picture
A fluffed-up oxpecker. You learn to recognise the call of these birds as it indicates mammal presence, even when you can't see through the thick bush
Picture
Picture
This enormous male leopard was cleaning himself after a thorough gorging on an impala
Picture
A white rhino rarely strays far from water
Picture
An oxpecker perches on a giraffe at dusk
Picture
I could watch these picture-perfect cats for hours. Such a special sighting
Picture
On our way home, the owl silhouette against moonlight was unmistakable
Picture
The shiny emerald shell of this dung beetle shone against the rough bark
Picture
We got pretty close to these lion cubs
Picture
This mighty elephant bull stance is enough to make any car back off a little. This is his home
Picture
These eyelashes will make any girl jealous
Picture
This Golden Orb spider was sitting on his web at the airport, we spotted him on our way home
Picture
Purple skies at dusk
Picture
Golden light and golden eyes - goodbye beautiful bushveld
2 Comments
Joe Cheben
8/6/2016 04:43:05 pm

Hello Mel. This is Joe and Maureen Cheben. We were with you and Scott in Simbavati. Your pictures are outstanding. Thanks for sharing.

Reply
Mel
9/6/2016 08:06:38 am

Thanks for taking the time to comment Joe! So happy you liked them, will you let know when I put more up. Send my love to Maureen.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Melanie van Zyl

    WANDER 

    All
    Botswana
    Close To Joburg
    Italy
    Kenya
    Lesotho
    Mozambique
    Namibia
    Responsible Travel
    Reunion
    South Africa
    Swaziland
    Zambia

    Picture
    Tweets by @Melanie_vanZyl

    RSS Feed

    WONDER

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Howzit
  • Photography
    • Lodges
    • Wildlife
    • South Africa
    • Botswana
    • Namibia
    • Uganda
    • Mozambique
    • Mauritius
    • Thailand
    • Sri Lanka
  • Adventures
  • Published
  • Contact